Wheat Breeding in Canada. 



25 



IV. 



WHEAT BREEDING IN CANADA. 



By Charles E. Saunders, Ph.D., Cerealist of the 

 Dominion Experimental Farms. 



On account of the vast extent and the varied climatic conditions 

 of Canada, it is necessary to mention briefly the six chief sections 

 into which the country may be divided on the basis of its wheat 

 production. 



I. The Maritime Provinces : Nova Scotia, Prince Edward 

 Island, and New Brunswick. — In these large tracts of country not 

 very much wheat is grown. Most of the grain is sown in the 

 spring, and the yields obtained are usually good, the kernels being 

 plump, but rather soft and starchy. ✓ 



II. Quebec and Northern Ontario. — Spring wheat rather than 

 winter wheat is usually grown, although the total quantity pro- 

 duced is not very great considering the numerical strength of the 

 farming population. The kernels of the spring wheat produced in 

 this section of Canada are usually somewhat smaller and harder 

 than those grown in the Maritime Provinces. When the varieties 

 which yield the strongest flour are sown, the wheat from this 

 area is scarcely surpassed by that grown in any other part of 

 Canada, though in appearance it is usually less attractive than 

 the grain from the Western prairies, 



III. Southern Ontario. — The mild winter and the rather hot and 

 dry summer make the conditions in this region more favourable to 

 winter wheat than to spring wheat. Most of the sowing is there- 

 fore done in the autumn, September and October being the 

 favourite months. The winter wheat of Southern Ontario is 

 typically large, plump, and quite starchy. When spring wheat is 

 sown a variety of durum wheat known in Canada as " Goose " or 

 " Wild Goose " is often used because it gives a better yield than 

 the ordinary varieties used for bread-making. Goose wheat is 

 used chiefly for feeding purposes or for the manufacture of 

 macaroni. 



IV. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Northern and Central 

 Parts of Alberta. — This enormous tract of country is devoted very 

 largely to the cultivation of spring wheat, which, as a rule, gives 

 a good yield and produces kernels of a hard, glutinous character 

 scarcely to be surpassed. Winter wheat has been tried in some 

 sections, but has not proved uniformly successful. 



V. Southern Alberta. — Winter wheat has been profitably grown 

 for many years in the south-western portion of Alberta, and the 

 area devoted to it of late has been largely extended northwards 

 and eastward. Spring wheat is also grown in this portion of 

 the Province, but to a smaller extent than winter wlieat. The 



